Construction of walls, partitions, and the like



Nov. 18, 1941. FQULD 4 2,263,355

" CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS4PARTITIONS, AND.THE LIKE Q Filed June 20, 1959 ZSheets-Sheet l M.- FOULD Nov. 18, 1941.

CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS, BARTITIONS, AND THE LIKE Filed June 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 consecutively.

Patented Nov. 18, 1941 UNITED STAT s PATENT OFFICE CONSTRUCTIOiI F WALES, PABTITIONS,

AND THE LIKE Maurice Fouid, Paris, France, assignor to Forges de Strasbourg Application (socit Anonyme), France, a company or France Julie 20, ms, Serial No. 280,151 In France May 27, 1939 1 Claims. (crisis-s4) The present invention relates to systems for the quick construction of walls, partitions and the like by assembly'of standard elements.

It has already been proposed to construct such walls by means of panels which each have a male Figs, 2 and 3 show box-shaped assembling ele ments.

Figs. 4 and 5 are partial views of a wall with a transverse partition.

edge and a female edge. and fit into each other I However, the manufacture of such panels, which are usually made of metal, was somewhat complicated and comparatively costly in view of the shape of the female edge the formation of which required several operations in the case of sheet metal panels.

The chief object of the present provide a construction system of the type, above mentioned which avoids this drawback.

According to. an essential feature of the present invention, the two assembling edges of each panel are bothmale rounded e es, and the panels are connected to one another by means of elements each provided on it's assembling edges with recesses 0 said panel edges in said recesses, the inner walls oi said recesses being so shaped as to cooperate. with said panel edges'for guiding and positioning them. 7

It is thus possible to manufacture the panels themselves either by rolling, orin a press, the ininvention is to pening into said edges through Y slots adapted for the hinge-like engagement of terconnecting elements being obtained for example with a cutter-wheel, starting either. from sheet or strip metal. Furthermore, for a wall of given strength, the assembling elements can be made of smaller thickness than that of the panels since their cross-section has a very favorable moment of inertia, so that the cost of manufacture of the wall-is substantially reduced both owing to the reduction of the weight of matter and to the simplification of manufacture.

In order to make the assembling elementspenform the function of a framework or frame for the wall, I may, according to an embodiment of my invention, construct the assembling elements provided with the female Joints'in the shape of posts, for example like a box-gi'rderrfor this same purpose, .I may make the assemblingele-.

ments thicker than the panels themselves,

: Other features, of the present invention will be apparent'from the following detailed description of some specific embodiment thereof.

Preferred embodiments of the present inyention will be hereinafter described. with reference to the accompanyin drawing .given merely by in which:

' Fig. 1 shows? section of -thie'assembly two - to another wall which extends ina different di- Figs. 6 to 18'show sections of various embodiments of the assembling elements.

Fig. 19 showsa section of an embodiment of a wall.

Fig. 20 is a section of an element for assem'- bling parallel rows of panels.

As shown in particular in Figs. 5 and 19, the metal panels I are each provided with twoparallel male engaging edges 2; the assembling of v two consecutive panels I to each other is effected by means of a se 'aorate element 3, the simplest shape of which'is shownin Fig. land which is provided with two parallel female engaging edges corresponding interconnecting element,are'made as disclosed intmy prlbr U. 8. patent application Ser. No. 63,952, illed'Feb; 14, 1936, now U. 8. Patent No. 2,164,681 'July 4, 1939. For ins stance, as shown by 1, the-interconnecting element includes a central portion 3 to a short distance from each edge ment, and bent so as to form two substantially semi-circular wings, extending each from the central part of said portion to a point-slightly beyond the bent edge behind central portion 3 having their concavity at in the recess thus a, about an axis parallel tosaid ,connecting element by turned toward said portion. The male engagement edge 2 ofeach panel !v is rounded so as to formed on either side of the middle placeof the interconnecting element,

along the innerwall of said recess. Each panel In the case'of Fig. l, the element I serves no can thus ,be enga ed other purpose, in addition-to that which consists in keeping two panels I assembled, than to pro-' vide the continuity of the outer surface of the wall obtained In all the other figures, theelement 3 is so constructed as to perform in addition the function of a frame or framework element and optionally of an element for assembling The cooperating edges of each panel and the extending of the elethereof, said wings located row of panels I (Fig. 19).

sembling thepanels I intwo rows.

l. A system tions,

a narrow vertical slot Finally, the assembling element may be used as a.

spacing and flxing element for a wall which extends parallel with the row of panels, in order to form, for example, an insulating wall.

According to Figs. 2 and 4, it/is a box-shaped framework element I which acts as-a connecting member between two consecutive panels I. The wall i of said element opposite the wait forming the assembling edges is of U-shaped cross-section in order to enable the end of a perpendicular partition I to be fltted therein.

On the other hand, the corresponding face 6 of the element shown in Fig. 3 is plane, in order to enable any wall 8 that may form an insulating wall with the wall I, to be flxed parallel with the Figs. 6 to 9 show that the element .5 may be of any desired cross-section and in particular he provided, on the face on which are formed the female assembling joints 4, with a projecting medial part 9 forming an ornamental rib of any cross-sectional shape.

Figs. 10 to 18 show various embodiments of an assembling element 3 similar to that of Fig. l, but slightly wider so as to enable a framework element of any shape, made of folded sheet metal III (Figs. 10, 11, 12, 17 and 18), of section iron II (Figs. 13, 14 and 16) or even of wood or any other material I! (Fig. to be added between the female joints 4. In Figs. 17 and 18, the element 3 is so shaped as to form an ornamental rib II.

As shown in Fig. 5, the element 3 and the framework III which'is associated therewith enable on the onehand a wall I perpendicular to the row of panels I to be fltted into the concave face I4, and on the other hand a wall i parallel with the rgw of p:.ne1s I to be fltted between the flanges I and I 1 Finally, Fig. 20 shows a box-shaped assembling element I intended for constructing a wall or other partition having two parallel rows of panels I. The element I, which in this case is slimmetrical with respect to the medial'plane of the wall, acts at the same time as an element for asand spacing element for said two rows and finally as a framework or frame element.

While I have, cloud what I deem to be practical and eflicient embodiments of the present invention, it should bewellunderstood thatIdonotwishtobelimited thereto as'there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts'without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope ofthe appended aims. I

I claim: v

for the construction of walls, partiand the like. which comprises, in combination, flat panels having each two opposed parallel assembling edges of curvilinear'bent'shape, and interconnecting. posts having each a central front portion extending over the whole width of said Do two curvilinear wings of a shape corresponding to that of' said panel assembling edges, having their conca'vities turned toward said central front portion and extending, 'at the rear of said central front portion froman intermediate pointthereof to a short distance beyond the lateral edge thereof so as to form in said post 0 rounded edge of the. corresponding adjoining panel. and a box central front portion for stiffening said post ass bracing in theabove description, dis-' against efforts p rpendicular to the said panels.

2. A system for the construction of walls, partitions and the like, which comprises, in combination, flat panels having each two opposed parallel assembling edges of curvilinear bent shape, and interconnecting posts having each a central front portion extending over the whole width of said post, two curvilinear wings of a shape corresponding to that of said panel assembling edges, having their concavities turned toward said central front portion and extending at the rear of said central front portion from an intermediate point thereof to a short distance beyond the lateral edge thereof so as to form in said post a narrow vertical slot for the engagement of the rounded edge of the corresponding adjoining panel, and a structural shape rigid with said central front portion in such manner as to stiffen said post against eflorts perpendicular to said panels.

3. A system for the construction of walls, partitions, or like building structures, which comprises, in combination, a plurality of substantially rectangular panels of sheet material, each being provided along opposite parallel edges with arcuate flanges curved away from the general plane of the panel, panel interconnecting and supporting elements interposed between adjacent edgesof adjacent panels, said elements being formed of sheet material and being substantially co-planar with the panels, the opposite parallel edges of said elements beingv bent to provide folded portions which form of themselves channel-like recesses along said edges, said recesses being partly closed so that a narrow slot-like aperture is formed, said aperture being of a width approximating the thickness of the material of the'engagement of the llke'structurerigid with said element, said wings arcuate wall'surface of the said flanges, for the guiding and positioning of the latter, the folded edge portions of said elements providing the rigidifying and stiffening means for said elements.

4. A system for the construction of walls, partitions or the like, which comprises, in combination, a plurality of substantially rectangular panels of sheet material, each being provided with opposedparallel edges curved away from the general plane of 'the panel substantially in the form of portions of circular cylinders, panel-interconnecting elements interposed between adjacent edges of adjacent panels, each of said elementshaving a central body portion of a width slightly less than the 'total width of said element and curved wings formed along each edge of said same curvature, as

side thereof, said wings being substantially cylindrically concave and projecting a short distance beyond the said edges of said body portion the concavity facing body portion, whereby there is provided a pocket along each edge of the interconnecting elements having a narrowed slot-like'aperture and an in-- ner wall surface of the same contour as that of said panel edges for the guiding and positioning of said panel edges. I

5. A system for the con'structionof walls, partitions or the like, which comprises, in combination,- a plurality of substantially rectangular panels of sheet material,.each being provided with opposed parallel curved away from the general plane of the panel substantially in the form of portions of circular cylinders, panel- 'toward the plane of interconnecting elements slightly less than the wardly of said interp e between adjacent edges of adjacent panels, each of said elements having a central body portion of awidth and curved wings formed along each edge of said element, said wings extending in opposite directions from pointsspaced inwardly from the lateral edges of said body and on the rear side thereof, said wings drically'concave and projecting a short distance beyond'the said edges of said body portion, the concavity facing toward the plane of said body portion, whereby there is provided a pocket along each edge of the interconnecting elements having a narrowed slot-like aperture and an inner wall surface of the same contour as that of said panel edges for the guiding and positioning of said panel edges, and a box-like structure rigidly secured to the laterally outward edges of said wings, to form with said interconnecting element a rigid post for supporting and reinforcing said panels.

6. In a system for the construction of paneled walls, partitions or the like, a post element for supporting and reinforcing such constructions and interconnecting the panels thereof, said post element being of a box-like structure, basically rectangular in cross-section and provided at intermediate points on posite sides with oppositely extending wings for interlocking with curved flanges provided on adjacent edges of adjacent panels which my .be interconnected. said flange portion extending substantially perpendicularly to the side of the post and a substantially cylindrically concave portion disposed rearflange portion with the concavity facing toward theplane of the latter and extending slightly beyond the edge of said nange porportion each of a pair of its op-' total width of said element being substantially cylinv 'ing va narrowed slot-like aperture and an inner wings each comprising a general plane of in cross-section,

for the construction of walls, parsubstantially rectangular panels of sheet material, each being provided with edges curved away from the the panel substantially. in the of circular cylinders, panel-ininterposed between adopposed parallel form of portions tel-connecting elements jacent edges of adjacent panels, each of said ele-- ments having a central body portion 0! a width slightly less than the total width of said element and curved wings formed along each edge of said element, saidwin'gs extending in opposite directions from points spaced inwardlyfrom the lateral edges of said side thereof, said wings being substantially cylindrically concave and projecting a short distance beyond the said edges of said body concavity facing toward the plane or said body portion, whereby there is provided a-pocketalong each edge of the interconnecting elements, hav

wall surface of the same contour as that of said panel edges for the guiding and positioning oi said panel edges. certain of said interconnecting elements being each incorporated into a hollow" box -like post structure substantially rectangular in which said element comprises one, side. and the a similar element to interconnect which serves adjacent panels or a wall structure, in order to provide a. double wall.

mimics: r'ounn.

slot-like aperture and an inner wall which comprises, in co'mbina-= body portion and'on the rear portion, the

opposite side is constituted by 

